The EU is improving the state of its commercial fish species in only North-east Atlantic and Baltic waters. As the 2020 objective of healthy commercial fish populations applies to all marine waters, it is unlikely to be met

The Seventh Environment Action Programme (7th EAP), in line with the MarineStrategy Framework Directive (MSFD), requires the EU to meet its 2020 objective of achieving good environmental status (GES) of the marine environment, which means that the different uses made of Europe’s seas are conducted at a sustainable level. Fishing is one of the main pressures affecting GES, in particular the state of commercial fish species. Historically, fishing beyond sustainable levels has made it difficult to reach the objective of healthy fish populations. Currently, around 74 % of fish stocks in Europe’s seas are not in GES. The situation has started to improve, albeit with strong regional differences. In the North-East Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea, clear signs of the recovery of fish stocks have been visible since the early 2000s. In the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the situation remains critical given the prevalence of overfishing and a significant lack of knowledge on the status of fish stocks. Given this context, the 2020 objective of healthy fish populations is unlikely to be met for all of Europe´s seas, and further collective action is required.

Setting the scene

The 7th EAP stipulates that the EU shall ensure that by 2020 the impact of pressures on all marine waters is reduced to achieve or maintain GES, as required by the MSFD (EU, 2013a). Fishing is one of the main pressures affecting the marine environment, in particular the state of commercial fish species. Ensuring healthy fish populations is essential for well-functioning ecosystems, but also to sustain fishing as a source of healthy food in the long term.

Policy targets and progress

Safeguarding healthy commercial fish populations is one of the 11 descriptors of the MSFD (EU, 2008) for achieving GES. This objective is closely related to the objectives of the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) (EU, 2013b), in particular the objective of ensuring the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for all stocks by 2015 where possible, and at the latest by 2020(1).

Currently, around 74 %(2) of the assessed fish stocks in Europe’s seas are not in GES, whereas only 26 % of fish stocks are in GES when assessing both the level of fishing mortality and reproductive capacity (EEA, 2017). In addition, there are strong regional differences, as shown in Figure 1.

Approximately 78 % of the stocks in the North East Atlantic (i.e. Barents Sea, Bay of Biscay, Celtic Sea, Greenland Sea, Iceland Sea, North Sea and Norwegian Sea) and the Baltic Sea meet at least one of the GES criteria while 34 % are in GES according to both criteria. The status of fish stocks is especially critical in the Mediterranean and Black Seas where only 6 % are in GES, a figure only based on one criterion (fishing mortality).

Figure 1. Status of fish stocks in regional seas around Europe

Note: This figure shows the proportion of assessed stocks per regional sea that are in good environmental status (GES). The numbers on the charts indicate the number of fish stocks. Status refers to fishing mortality (F) and reproductive capacity (SSB) criteria, as defined by Commission Decision 2010/477/EU, which sets criteria and methodological standards on GES of marine waters. The GES criterion on healthy age- and size-distribution cannot be assessed at present. Stocks in the Northeast Atlantic and Baltic waters were assessed based on advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for 2016. Stocks in the Mediterranean and Black seas were assessed based on information from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) for 2016.

Moreover, a lack of information on the status of stocks was observed for a large (33 %) proportion of fish stocks (EEA, 2017). Figure 2 shows that there are also strong regional differences in terms of availability of information. An assessment of status is not possible for 90 % of the total landings from the Mediterranean and Black Seas, compared with 20 % of those from the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea (EEA, 2017).

Note: This figure shows the proportion of commercial fish landings per regional sea with GES assessment information, as defined by Commission Decision 2010/477/EU, which sets criteria and methodological standards on the GES of marine waters. GES assessment information relates to fishing mortality (F) and reproductive capacity (SSB) criteria, since the criterion on healthy age- and size-distribution cannot be assessed at present. Landings data for all fish stocks are from 2014, given the availability of data for the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

It is clear that the overall use of fish stocks in Europe currently remains beyond the limit for long-term environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, historical trends in fish landings show that total landings in Europe’s seas reached a peak in the mid-1970s, but have been mostly declining ever since (Pastoors and Poulsen, 2008; Gascuel et al., 2014).

Important signs of improvement are being observed in the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea. Since the early 2000s, better management of fish stocks has contributed to a clear decrease in fishing pressure in these two regional seas (EEA, 2015; EC, 2015). Between 2002 and 2015, the number of stocks exploited at sustainable levels (i.e. fishing at or below MSY) increased from 2 to 26 (EC, 2015). Signs of recovery in the reproductive capacity of several fish stocks have started to appear (EEA, 2017). If these efforts continue, meeting the 2020 objective for healthy fish stocks in the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea could be possible. In contrast, there is little likelihood that the 2020 policy objective will be met in the Mediterranean and Black Seas (EC, 2015). Given this, despite the EU’s commitment to ensuring better governance for sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean region, the 2020 objective of healthy commercial fish populations is unlikely to be met for all marine waters and further collective action is required.

Outlook beyond 2020

Fishing management measures, when effectively implemented, can have a positive effect on the state of fish stocks, as can be seen in the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea. However, ensuring healthy fish populations does not depend solely on fishing at environmentally sustainable levels, although it is a necessary condition. Healthy fish populations depend on healthy marine ecosystems but, today, our use of Europe’s seas and their natural capital is not sustainable (EEA, 2015). Europe’s marine ecosystems continue to display symptoms of degradation and loss of resilience, which will be exacerbated by the effects of climate change. These systemic changes are still complex and to a large extent poorly understood, but they are closely linked to the loss of biodiversity. Without an integrated approach to the management and protection of Europe’s seas — which would make ecosystem-based management a reality, as required by both the MSFD and the CFP — the outlook beyond 2020 for productive seas and healthy fish populations is a cause for concern.

About the indicator

The indicator assesses the status of fish stocks in Europe’s regional seas, which represent the populations of commercial fish and shellfish species, in relation to their GES. The indicator also provides an overview of the availability of information to provide a GES analysis. The indicator follows the GES methodological standards as currently defined by Commission Decision 2010/477/EU (EC, 2010). It measures GES by assessing two criteria — the level of fishing mortality (i.e. fishing pressure) and the reproductive capacity of fish stocks (i.e. spawning stock biomass) — against their sustainable reference levels (i.e. MSY or a proxy). The third GES criterion on healthy age and size distribution cannot be assessed at present. The indicator reflects the current level of implementation of the MSFD and data availability for an assessment at the EU level.

Footnotes and references

(1) According to Annex I, populations of all commercially exploited fish (and shellfish) are within safe biological limits, exhibiting a population age and size distribution that is indicative of a healthy stock no later than 2020. Likewise, the scope of the CFP includes the conservation of marine biological resources and the management of fisheries targeting them. To that end, the CFP should adapt exploitation rates so as to ensure that, within a reasonable time-frame, the exploitation of marine biological resources restores and maintains populations of harvested stocks above levels that can produce the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). This should be achieved by 2015 or no later than 2020.

(2) This estimate cannot be compared with the estimate provided in the 2016 version due to (i) methodological improvements on handling widely distributed stocks (in the most recent version catches for stocks that cover more than one ecoregion have been redistributed over the different ecoregions whereas stock information on the GES criteria has been attributed to all ecoregions the stock is part of) and (ii) working with updated (the most recent version of the ICES Stock database for the North East Atlantic and Baltic Sea) and different (STECF Mediterranean and Black Sea Working Group Reports for the Mediterranean and Black Sea) data sources.

EU, 2008, Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) (OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19).

EU, 2013a, Decision No 1386/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on a General Union Environment Action Programme to 2020 ‘Living well, within the limits of our planet’, Annex A, paragraph 28g (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 171–200).

EU, 2013b, Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC (OJ L 354/22, 28.12.2013, p. 22–61).

EC, 2015, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council ‘Consultation on the fishing opportunities for 2016 under the Common Fisheries Policy’ (COM (2015) 239 final of 2 June 2015).

Pastoors, M., and Poulsen, B. (Eds.) (2008). Report of the Workshop on historical data on fisheries and fish (WKHIST). Copenhagen: International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. (ICES CM 2008/RMC:04).

]]>No publishermarineBriefingMarine regions and subregions under the Marine Strategy Framework Directivehttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/msfd-regions-and-subregions-1
The marine regions and subregions map and correspondent layers provide information about the geographic boundaries of the areas listed in Article 4 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The map has been developed to support DG Environment and EU Member States in their implementation of the MSFD. It represents the current state of understanding of the marine regions and subregions and is subject to amendment in light of any new information which may be produced. No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).atlantic oceanregional sea convensioneurope´s regional seasmarine regionsmediterraneanmsfdmarine environmentbaltic seamarine strategy framework directivenorth seablack searegional seasmarinemarine areamarine regional seas2017/08/31 09:33:49 GMT+2DataEuropean action can help ease pressure on threatened Arctic environment https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/european-action-can-help-ease
The Arctic region is warming at a rate of almost twice the global average, resulting in profound and rapid changes in its living conditions and the environment. A European Environment Agency (EEA) report, published today, looks at how the rest of Europe affects the Arctic environment and how changes in the region impact Europe in return.The Arctic environment is under considerable combined pressures from climate change, economic development, biodiversity decline, threat from invasive species and others drivers of change, according to the new EEA assessment "The Arctic environment — European perspectives on a changing Arctic". These pressures have cumulative impacts especially on the region and its inhabitants but also on the rest of Europe and, due to the Arctic’s role in climate regulation and sea level rise, even globally.

Europe has contributed to the changes in the Arctic, the report states, but the European Union and its Member States can also play a positive role in several policy areas, including:

mitigating impacts from climate change and long-range pollution;

improving health and living standards in the region;

improving the knowledge base in support of strengthening the region’s ecosystem resilience;

reducing imports of natural resources from the region through a transition to a circular economy;

advancing sustainable management of resources; and

engaging actively on issues that require an international response.

The economic downturn and fluctuations in world commodity prices have led to a slowdown in investments in the Arctic, providing more time to build a better understanding of the complexity of the region’s ecosystem and also to develop cleaner technologies and put in place safety standards for long-term protection and prudent stewardship. The report stresses that this window of opportunity should be taken advantage of and that it is insufficient to merely focus efforts on documenting changes in the Arctic.

The new report — launched at ‘A sustainable Arctic: Innovative approaches’, a high-level event co-hosted by the European Commission, the European External Action Service and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland — is built on a large number of Arctic assessments, studies and indicators available to the EEA through the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) and our Arctic member countries, partners and networks.

The EU is improving the state of its commercial fish species in only North-east Atlantic and Baltic waters. As the 2020 objective of healthy commercial fish populations applies to all marine waters, it is unlikely to be met

Setting the Scene

The 7th EAP stipulates that the EU shall ensure that by 2020 the impact of pressures on all marine waters is reduced to achieve or maintain GES, as required by the MSFD (EU, 2013a). Fishing is one of the main pressures affecting the marine environment, in particular the state of commercial fish species. Ensuring healthy fish populations is essential for well-functioning ecosystems, but also to sustain fishing as a source of healthy food in the long term.

Policy targets and progress

Safeguarding healthy commercial fish populations is one of the 11 descriptors of the MSFD (EU, 2008) for achieving GES. This objective is closely related to the objectives of the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) (EU, 2013b), in particular the objective of ensuring the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for all stocks by 2015 where possible, and at the latest by 2020.

Currently, around 58 % of the assessed fish stocks in Europe’s seas are not in GES, whereas only 12 % of fish stocks are in GES when assessing both the level of fishing mortality and reproductive capacity (EEA, 2015a). In addition, there are strong regional differences, as shown in Figure 1. The status of fish stocks is especially critical in the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Figure 1. Status of fish stocks in regional seas around Europe

Note: This figure shows the proportion of assessed stocks per regional sea that are in good environmental status (GES). The numbers on the charts indicate the number of fish stocks. Status refers to fishing mortality (F) and reproductive capacity (SSB) criteria, as defined by the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU, which sets criteria and methodological standards on GES of marine waters. The GES criterion on healthy age- and size-distribution cannot be assessed at present. Stocks in the Northeast Atlantic and Baltic waters were assessed based on advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for 2013. Stocks in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and widely distributed stocks, were most recently assessed by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) respectively, which varied between 2008 and 2012.

Moreover, a lack of information on the status of stocks was observed for a large (40 %) proportion of fish stocks (EEA, 2015a). Figure 2 shows that there are also strong regional differences in terms of availability of information. An assessment of status is not possible for 68 % of the total landings from the Mediterranean and Black Seas, compared with 35 % of those from the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea (EEA, 2015b).

Note:This figure shows the proportion of commercial fish landings per regional sea with GES assessment information, as defined by Commission Decision 2010/477/EU, which sets criteria and methodological standards on the GES of marine waters. GES assessment information relates to fishing mortality (F) and reproductive capacity (SSB) criteria, since the criterion on healthy age- and size-distribution cannot be assessed at present. Landings data for all fish stocks are from 2010, given the availability of data for the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

It is clear that the overall use of fish stocks in Europe currently remains beyond the limit for long-term environmental sustainability. Historical trends in fish landings show that total landings in Europe’s seas reached a peak in the mid-1970s, but have been mostly declining ever since (Pastoors and Poulsen, 2008; Gascuel et al., 2014). The observed consistent decrease in landings suggests that the overall levels of exploitation remain too high for ensuringhealthy populations of commercial fish.

Important signs of improvement are being observed in the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea. Since the early 2000s, better management of fish stocks has contributed to a clear decrease in fishing pressure in these two regional seas (EEA, 2015b; EC, 2015). Between 2002 and 2015, the number of stocks exploited at sustainable levels (i.e. fishing at or below MSY) increased from 2 to 26 (EC, 2015). Signs of recovery in the reproductive capacity of several fish stocks have started to appear (EEA, 2015a). If these efforts continue, meeting the 2020 objective for healthy fish stocks in the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea could be possible. In contrast, there is little likelihood that the 2020 policy objective will be met in the Mediterranean and Black Seas (EC, 2015). Given this, despite the EU’s commitment to ensuring better governance for sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean region, the 2020 objective of healthy commercial fish populations is unlikely to be met for all marine waters and further collective action is required.

Outlook beyond 2020

Fishing management measures, when effectively implemented, can have a positive effect on the state of fish stocks, as can be seen in the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea. However, ensuring healthy fish populations does not depend solely on fishing at environmentally sustainable levels, although it is a necessary condition. Healthy fish populations depend on healthy marine ecosystems but, today, our use of Europe’s seas and their natural capital is not sustainable (EEA, 2015b). Europe’s marine ecosystems continue to display symptoms of degradation and loss of resilience, which will be exacerbated by the effects of climate change. These systemic changes are still complex and to a large extent poorly understood, but they are closely linked to the loss of biodiversity. Without an integrated approach to the management and protection of Europe’s seas — which would make ecosystem-based management a reality, as required by both the MSFD and the CFP — the outlook beyond 2020 for productive seas and healthy fish populations calls for concern.

About the indicator

The indicator assesses the status of fish stocks in Europe’s regional seas, which represent the populations of commercial fish and shellfish species, in relation to their GES. The indicator also provides an overview of the availability of information to provide a GES analysis. The indicator follows the GES methodological standards as currently defined by Commission Decision 2010/477/EU (EC, 2010). It measures GES by assessing two criteria — the level of fishing mortality (i.e. fishing pressure) and the reproductive capacity of fish stocks (i.e. spawning stock biomass) — against their sustainable reference levels (i.e. MSY or a proxy). The third GES criterion on healthy age and size distribution cannot be assessed at present. The indicator reflects the current level of implementation of the MSFD and data availability for an assessment at the EU level.

]]>No publishermarine2016/12/09 09:00:00 GMT+2BriefingSpatial analysis of marine protected area networks in Europe's seashttps://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/spatial-analysis-of-marine-protected
This European Environment Agency (EEA) technical report presents an overview of the 2012 spatial distribution of the networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) established in the waters of EU), excluding overseas territories.No publishermarine protected areasmarinespatial analysis2015/11/06 12:30:00 GMT+2PublicationEEA coastline for analysishttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/eea-coastline-for-analysis-1
The EEA coastline for analysis is created for highly detailed analysis, e.g. 1:100 000, for geographical Europe.
The criteria for defining the coastline is the line separating water from land.
The EEA coastline is a product derived from two sources: EU-Hydro and GSHHG.
In the 2015 version of the dataset, several corrections were made in the Kalogeroi Islands (coordinates 38.169, 25.287) and two other Greek little islets (coordinates 36.766264, 23.604318), as well as in the peninsula of Porkkala (around coordinates 59.99, 24.42).No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).biodiversitygeospatial datamarine and coastaleea owned data setsmarinecoastal ecosystems2015/10/23 16:25:00 GMT+2DataRegional seas surrounding Europehttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/regional-seas-surrounding-europe-1
The maps shows the regional seas surrounding Europe and the sustainability challenges they faceNo publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).marine2015/10/23 14:45:00 GMT+2FigureDevelopment of wind farm areas in Europe https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/development-of-wind-farm-areas
The map provides an overview of wind farm areas in all stages of development in Europe. The pie chart shows the different levels of development %. No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).marineoffshore wind energy2015/06/29 13:14:20 GMT+2FigureAgricultural land use within coastal NUTS2 regionshttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/agricultural-land-use-within-coastal
The map provides an overview (%) of agriculturally used land per coastal region, ranging from 1% to 73%. No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Topic Centre on Inland, Coastal and Marine waters (ICM).land usemarinecoastal regions2015/06/29 12:51:55 GMT+2FigureBottom trawl fishing intensity in the North Sea https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/bottom-trawl-fishing-intensity-in
The map shows bottom trawl fishing intensity in the North Sea as average number of times per year a unit area was fished between 2010-2012.No publisherBy using or accessing this entity you agree with the terms and conditions in the Benthis disclaimer at:
http://www.benthis.eu/en/benthis/disclaimer.htmenvironmental pressuresmarinefishing2015/06/29 09:40:00 GMT+2FigureWaterbase - Transitional, coastal and marine watershttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/waterbase-transitional-coastal-and-marine-waters-11
Waterbase is the generic name given to the EEA databases on the status and quality of Europes rivers, lakes, groundwater bodies and transitional, coastal and marine waters, and on the quantity of Europes water resourcesNo publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).marinetransitional waterwater information system for europewatergeospatial datamarine and coastalwater qualitypriority data flowpoint datawaterbase2015/06/26 00:00:00 GMT+2DataState of Europe's seashttps://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/state-of-europes-seas
The main aim of this report is to assess whether Europe's seas can be considered healthy, clean and undisturbed, and productive. These are three core aspects of the EU's main marine policy instrument — the Marine Strategy Framework Directive — and relate to the condition of marine ecosystems and the human drivers of ecosystem change. This assessment also involves identifying the main sustainability challenges affecting our seas, and how the EU is responding to these challenges. Ultimately, the report argues that EU is not on the path to fulfil its ambition of achieving sustainable use of its seas; although it is fully empowered to do so through the current array of policies and knowledge. This report also discusses how a long-term transition to sustainability could then be secured using the available policies and knowledge.No publishereutrophicationseabed habitatsmarine litterturtleseu marine strategy framework directivemarine mammalsmarine food websmarine ecosystemswater column habitatsseabirdsmarine biodiversityunderwater noisecontaminationecosystemsmarine inverterbraemarinemarine fish2015/06/24 09:00:00 GMT+2PublicationScientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF)https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data-providers-and-partners/scientific-technical-and-economic-committee
No publishermarine2015/02/27 10:41:54 GMT+2OrganisationPatterns of change in the seashttps://www.eea.europa.eu/soer-2015/europe/marine-and-coastal/patterns-of-change-in-the-seas
Patterns of change for selected habitats, functional groups and species in European marine ecosystems

Biodiversity group

Region

Patterns of change

Most importantpressures[1]

Seabed habitats

Coastal habitats

European regional seas

Many European countries have estimated losses of coastal wetlands and seagrass beds of >50 % the historical area[2].

In the 1990s, the coverage of Zostera marina in Limfjorden was between 20 % and 25 % of the coverage in 1900[5]. This decline has continued in the period 1989-2009 but, from 2009 to 2011, the ‘maximum depth limit’ (its outmost reaching distance from shore) appears to have improved by 28 %[6].

Pollution and overfishing facilitated the invasion of the alien combjelly Mnemiopsis leidyi and its significant impact on the Black sea and Sea of Azov ecosystems in the late 1980s, which lead to fisheries collapse. But its predation by another alien combjelly species, Beroe ovata, which arrived in 1999, has meant that the Black Sea ecosystem shows signs of recovery.[8][9]

The average number of species per sample on 22 offshore stations in the Kattegat fell from 14 to 9.5 (32 %) in the period 1994 to 2011. The number of individuals per m2 changed from app. 2500 to app. 1100 in the same period[10].

The Angel shark has been declared extinct in the North Sea and apparently also from large areas of the northern Mediterranean. It is now uncommon throughout most of the remainder of its range, with the possible exception of some areas of the Southern Mediterranean and the Canary Islands[14].

Canarian Black Oystercatcher was endemic to the Canary Islands and was reported to have become extinct by the 1940s. Its decline was probably a result of overharvesting of intertidal invertebrates and disturbance by people, although predation by rats and cats has also been implicated.[20]

The Grey whale used to live in the North Atlantic, but was extinct by the early 1700s.[21]

Biological disturbance, other physical disturbance and contamination by hazardous substances

Mediterranean monk seal

Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea

The Mediterranean Monk seal has an estimated total population size of 350-450 animals. It is considered to be extinct from the Black Sea and is no longer found across much of its previous range in the Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic.[22]

Biological disturbance, other physical disturbance and contamination by hazardous substances

Ringed seal

Baltic Sea

In the early 20th century, the Ringed seal population of the Baltic Sea was estimated at 180 000. Today, there are only 7 000-10 000 animals left.[23]

Biological disturbance, other physical disturbance and contamination by hazardous substances

Ecosystems and regime shifts

Food webs

Baltic Sea and Black Sea

Major regime shifts in fish communities and their associated food webs have occurred in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea over the last century due mainly to climate change and overfishing[24]. Regime shifts in European regional seas are likely linked as part of a change in the seas of the Northern hemisphere[25].

]]>No publisherseabed habitatssoer2015marine habitatsmarine biodiversitymarinesoer2015 european2015/02/18 01:00:00 GMT+2PageStatus assessment of natural features reported by EU Member States under the MSFDhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/status-assessment-of-natural-features
Blue = good, red = not good, green = other and grey = unknown). The figures in parenthesis are the number of reported
features. The associated confidence rating of the information is rarely high.No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).marine2014/08/08 13:50:00 GMT+2FigureNew mobile phone app will help track marine litterhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/new-mobile-phone-app-will
People will soon be able to report the litter they find on the beach, thanks to a new mobile phone app developed by the European Environment Agency (EEA).Huge amounts of plastic and other debris are increasingly found in the sea, harming marine wildlife and potentially threatening human health. However, the composition, movement and origins of rubbish ending up in our seas and on beaches are still not widely understood.

To help understand this issue, the EEA is launching Marine Litter Watch, which uses modern technology to help tackle the problem of marine litter. Organised groups and members of the public can use the app to upload data on the litter they find on their beach. This data will be used to better understand the problem, and will hopefully help support a policy response as formulated in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The app is currently available for Android devices and will soon be published for iPhone and iPad.

]]>No publishermarine litterrecyclingbeach pollutionwastemarinebeaches2014/03/03 11:30:00 GMT+2NewsTen things everyone should know about Europe's productive seashttps://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/ten-things-everyone-should-know
A recent assessment by the European Environment Agency (EEA) showed that European seas are in a worrying state. As policy makers meet to discuss the marine environment that sustains maritime development, the EEA summarises ten important facts about the ecosystems beneath the waves.The messages come from a recent EEA briefing, which aims to support the Healthy Oceans, Productive Ecosystems (HOPE) conference taking place from 3-4 March, 2014.

Coasts are a habitat for humans:More than two fifths of EU citizens live in coastal regions, while the catchments feeding directly into European seas are home to 660 million people. Maritime activities employ 5.4 million people and have a gross added value of € 330-485 billion.

Growing demands on the seas: Tourism and recreation in coastal areas is predicted to increase. Similarly, offshore renewable energy and shipping are both expected to grow. Young industries such as algae production and undersea mining may also increase in coming years. Better information could help to manage these activities in a sustainable way.

Species, habitats and ecosystems already impacted and in poor health: Overall, less than 20 % of habitats and ecosystems are reported to be in good status. Marine species fared even worse with only 3 % of assessments classified as favourable and 70 % were unknown.

Large animals disappearing from Europe's marine regions. For example, in the entrance to the Baltic, Bluefin tuna disappeared in the 1960s, while European eel populations are now around 1-7 % of what they once were.

Overfishing still a problem. The number of fish stocks being exploited at sustainable levels has increased since 2007, particularly in EU Atlantic and Baltic waters. Nonetheless, 39 % of the assessed stocks in the North East Atlantic and 88 % of assessed stocks in the Mediterranean and Black seas were overfished in 2013.

Eutrophication pressures, particularly in the Baltic and Black seas. Nutrient emissions in the Baltic seem to be decreasing overall, although problems of eutrophication and related hypoxia have not declined a corresponding amount due to internal nutrient cycling within the sea. In the Black Sea conditions are largely unknown.

There is an increasing quantity of litter in the ocean, mostly made up of plastic waste. This waste sometimes originates hundreds of kilometres from the sea. It can harm marine animals, and may end up in human food. The EEA has created a new mobile phone app to help monitor this problem.

Climate change also harming ecosystems. Over the last quarter century, sea surface temperature has increased at approximately 10 times the average rate since records began in 1870.

Acidification from CO2 changing habitats: pH has reduced from 8.2 to 8.1 over the industrial era, making the seas 26 % more acidic. For comparison this is approximately 100 times faster than over the previous 55 million years.

Yet there are still data gaps: Member State reporting under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive is patchy, only covering two thirds of the EU sea area. There are other gaps – for example, little is reported on the status of marine invertebrates, mammals and reptiles.

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires the European Union Member States to monitor all the elements of the marine ecosystem and of the human pressures being exerted on it. As marine litter has not been monitored previously, Member States now need to establish wide-ranging monitoring programmes. These might cover marine litter floating on and below the sea surface, as well as litter that has accumulated on the sea floor and washed ashore, and even the litter ingested by marine wildlife.

To support Member States in monitoring MSFD monitoring guidelines were developed by the Technical Group on Marine Litter, a group of experts established to support the MSFD implementation. The adoption of these guidelines should allow to determine trends in the amount of litter and its composition.

The data and information from MSFD monitoring programmes will allow for a better understanding of the sources of litter and its impacts. These programmes are critical for implementing appropriate management measures and track progress of their effectiveness on ensuring healthy marine ecosystems. Given the extent of Europe’s Seas and related sustainability challenges, Member States will need to develop innovative and cost-efficient methods to carry them out. Voluntary monitoring of marine litter found on beaches offers an opportunity to support these activities, building on the communities already engaged in coastal stewardship across Europe.

Citizens to support official beach litter monitoring

Many citizens across Europe are already taking part in activities monitoring marine litter on beaches. With its app, Marine LitterWatch (MLW) aims to support the MSFD implementation by engaging with existing communities to deliver data fit for policy-support purposes.

For the community-based monitoring to support (and complement) official monitoring by responsible bodies, the data has to be collected following the MSFD monitoring guidelines. This will ensure that it is quality assured and can be used for comparable and reliable assessments over time.

Citizens already play an important role in supporting environmental assessments and implementing European policies, especially through citizen science activities. Recent EEA assessments on the state of grassland butterflies and on the state of bat populationsin Europe are examples of the importance of the role of citizen engagement in providing policy-relevant data. Several Member States (such as France, Spain and the United Kingdom) already count on citizens to monitor beach litter. MLW aims to encourage and facilitate citizen uptake of such activities and support addressing the issue of marine litter.

Setting-up monitoring events with Marine LitterWatch

The MLW app allows users to monitor, identify and report marine litter items found on beaches using the MSFD’s standard list. Communities should make their volunteers aware of quality assurance and quality control issues to ensure that litter collection and classification follow the monitoring protocol and MSFD guidelines. This will also ensure consistency across the submitted surveys. Investment in communication and the training of the national, regional and local survey coordinators and managers is therefore critical. Communities are encouraged to contact their national bodies responsible for monitoring marine litter when designing their monitoring strategies.

To set-up a monitoring event, communities should use the web interface available for this purpose and to manage the community data. Find out if your community is already part of the MLW network by checking the community list. For further assistance please refer to the MLW guidelines or send us an email. You can also visit the EEA Forum to check frequently asked questions about Marine LitterWatch or post your questions.

Collecting comparable data across Europe

The MSFD monitoring guidelines describe a harmonised protocol for monitoring beach litter. This allows for comparability of the data collected by Member States within the European regional seas and in the EU as a whole.

However, the guidelines are not step-by-step instructions. They provide Member States with recommendations and information needed to start the monitoring of marine litter. Member States then need to define national monitoring strategies, according to their initial assessments and targets reported under the MSFD for reaching ´Good Environmental Status’ of the marine environment by 2020.

MSFD harmonized protocol on beach litter monitoring

The main elements of a strategy for monitoring beach litter are: selection of survey sites; number of sites; frequency and timing of surveys; documentation and characterization of sites; sampling unit; units (quantification) of litter; collection and identification of litter items; size limits and classes of items to be surveyed; removal and disposal of litter.

The type of survey selected depends on the objectives of the assessment and on the magnitude of the pollution on the coastline. A single survey method is recommended in the MSFD guidelines with different spatial parameters for light to moderately polluted coastline and for heavily polluted coastlines.

The guidelines also recognise that investment must be made in the capacity-building of national, regional and local survey coordination and management both for official monitoring and community-based monitoring. This will allow for alignment of existing methodologies with the MSFD standardised protocol. This is an opportunity for communities engaged with beach surveys to make their data collection activities relevant to official MSFD monitoring.

Although MLW does not address capacity building, it aims to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between authorities and communities. The EEA will also work initially with some of the main communities in the European Union to support this interaction and cooperation.

Marine litter is building up in the oceans and coasts around the world, including those in Europe. This problem is recognised primarily as a result of unsustainable production and consumption patterns, poor waste management and the lack of public awareness. At present, European Union Member States are implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, a piece of EU legislation that requires them to monitor and define measures to address the challenges of Europe´s seas. Marine litter is identified as one of these challenges. Citizens have an important role in the tackling of marine litter, especially in terms of awareness about the problem and changing behaviour around it.

The EEA developed Marine LitterWatch (MLW) to support existing and emerging communities that want to engage their citizens in clean-up initiatives and wish to raise awareness about the issue. Communities can include NGOs, civil society associations, schools or any initiative bringing together volunteers.

Organising clean-up events using Marine LitterWatch

MLW can help existing and emerging communities to organise clean-up events and to coordinate their volunteers. Volunteers can use the MLW app to make surveys and register litter items they find on a beach, at the same time as they are removing these. The app provides a ‘top 20’ list of litter items found in Europe.

The data generated through clean-ups will provide an overview of the number of clean-up activities happening across Europe, as well as the amount and type of litter items found. This will help provide for the first time an overview of citizen engagement in clean-up activities in Europe. With time, MLW aims to use these data to support assessments on the state of European coasts and seas, including those prepared by the EEA.

To set-up a clean-up event with the app, please refer to the MLW guidelines. A web interface for communities and clean-up coordinators is also available for this purpose. Further assistance on how to set up clean-up events can also be obtained from our experienced communities:

the PERSEUS FP7 research project being implemented throughout the Mediterranean and Black seas.

Find out if your community is already part of the MLW network by checking the community list. If it is not and you would like it to be, just send us an email and help us improve our knowledge about marine litter in Europe. You can also visit the EEA Forum to check frequently asked questions about Marine LitterWatch or post your questions.

European Clean-up Day

MLW will also support the European Clean-up day on the 10 May 2014. This event is part of the European Week for Waste Reduction, which aims to reduce litter in nature and to give visibility to the issue. At the marine HOPE conference, the EU Commissioner Potočnik called for leading by example in practical ways when it comes to combatting marine litter. The Clean-up Day is one of the concrete activities following this call.

MLW is available to support communities participating in the European Clean-up day and collect data on this European wide initiative to raise awareness about the problem of litter in Europe. We will publish the results online soon afterwards.

You may use #EEAMLW to follow Marine LitterWatch activities on social media, and for the EU Clean-up day in particular.

See also

]]>No publisherbeach pollutionmarine litterwatchmarine littermarine2014/02/28 18:35:00 GMT+2PageHow does it work?https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/coast_sea/marine-litterwatch/get-started/how/how-does-it-work
Join or create a community

Marine LitterWatch (MLW) has been developed to target communities interested in marine litter activities. Communities are organised volunteer groups of citizens, such as NGOs, civil society associations and other kinds of informal groups. Although citizens can also join MLW independently, the full potential of citizen engagement can be best harnessed by more and more citizens joining existing communities, or creating a new community.

Find out if your community is already part of the MLW users’ network by checking the community list. If it is not and you would like it to be, just send us an email and help us improve our knowledge about marine litter in Europe.

How can communities help?

Communities can organise two different types of events through the MLW app: monitoring events or clean-up events.

In order to use the data to support official monitoring purposes, monitoring events have to follow the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) monitoring protocol for beach litter. Monitoring events need to happen on a regular basis and take place at the same location on the beach. As such, they require a community structure and set-up that will ensure proper quality assurance of the data.

Clean-up events may be ad hoc or periodic. They are easy to organise and aim to raise awareness about marine litter. The data generated through clean-ups will also support assessments on the state of European coasts and seas, including those prepared by the EEA.

Monitor and report litter found on beaches

The app allows for the creation of surveys on litter items found on the beach. It uses the Marine Strategy Framework Directive list of marine litter items that has been harmonised across Europe. These are items currently found on Europe’s beaches, for example, plastic items, cigarette butts, bottles, fishing materials, etc. More information on how to use the app can be found in the MLW guidelines.

Generating data to support marine litter management and raise awareness

The data collected from both monitoring events and clean-up events is stored in a public database hosted by the EEA. Data from monitoring events (which will be made available to support official monitoring purposes) are quality assured by the responsible community members prior to their publication online.

All MLW data will be made accessible online and free of charge for national authorities, research communities and citizens alike. Communities can retrieve their data through a web interface and use it in other databases and / or elaborate it further into a wide range of products such as survey reports and maps. EEA data policy is available here.

See also

]]>No publishermarine litterwatchmarine littermarine2014/02/28 18:35:00 GMT+2PageMarine messageshttps://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/marine-messages
Europe's seas are home to a rich and diverse array of species, habitats and ecosystems. Although vital for Europe's economic and social wellbeing, many of these ecosystems risk being irreversibly damaged by human activities. 'Marine messages', a briefing from the European Environment Agency (EEA), provides an overview of the current state-of-affairs of European seas and our use of them. It argues that economic activities including transport, fishing, offshore energy and tourism should be better managed so that they ensure sustainable health of marine ecosystems.No publishermarine2014/02/20 13:00:00 GMT+2PublicationThe squeeze on Europe's coastline continueshttps://www.eea.europa.eu/media/newsreleases/the-squeeze-on-europe2019s-coastline-continues
Europe's coastal regions are increasingly vital for its economy, yet their natural assets on which it depends continue to degrade. This is according to a new report from the European Environment Agency, which calls for better information, planning and management decisions to balance multiple demands on the coastal environment. 'Balancing the future of Europe's coasts', a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), argues that Europe needs to improve its knowledge to better understand the long-term damaging effects of current human and economic pressures on the coastal environment, jeopardizing the essential maintenance of the natural capital.

Coastal regions generate around 40 % of EU GDP. Europe is a major player in many intensive maritime industries, including shipping and ports, fisheries, energy and coastal tourism. However, this has come at a cost - habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, coastal erosion, and infrastructure development have damaged coastal ecosystems.

Moreover, climate change is likely to make these regions – and the societies in them – more vulnerable, the report says. Seas and coasts are currently considered to be drivers for the European economy with great potential for innovation and growth.

Approximately 40 % of the EU population lives within 50 km of the sea, and this is growing – in some parts of the Mediterranean coast in Spain and France, the population has increased by up to 50 % between 2001 and 2011. Growing demand for living space and other needs means that impervious areas such as concrete increased by 5 % between 2006 and 2009, the report says, further breaking up coastal habitats. This expansion was fastest in coastal areas in Cyprus, Norway, Malta and Spain, where areas with sealed soils increased by more than 10 %.

Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director, said: "Europe's coastline is vital for its economy. But in many areas, its resources are at risk because short-term gains have been prioritised over longer-term sustainable management. For example, some endangered coastal habitats act as natural protection from storm surges. One thing that can help safeguard these habitats is better data and knowledge, particularly as there is a pressing need to adapt to the effects of climate change."

Multiple pressures on coastal ecosystems

Habitats are disappearing or being broken up at an accelerating rate, the report says, leading to an alarming decline of 'ecosystem services'. One example of an ecosystem service is the seagrass Posidonia oceania, which traps millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, helps prevent erosion and is home to hundreds of sea creatures. This habitat has been declining by 5 % a year in the Mediterranean, making it increasingly endangered.

Many European coastal and transitional water bodies do not achieve high or good quality status. The worst situation is reported from the Baltic Sea, followed by the North Sea and the Black Sea. In coastal waters in the Mediterranean and the open Atlantic coast the situation is better.

Only 10 % of marine habitats were found to have a 'favourable' status, and just 3 % of marine species had a favourable conservation status. The status of many species was unknown, but research has confirmed that the status of at least 50 % of fish species is unfavourable. For example, cod stocks in the Kattegat at the entrance to the Baltic have declined to approximately 6 % of 1971 levels.

There were nine major oil spills in European waters between 1998 and 2009, and many smaller accidents. Despite a declining number of oil spills, larger volumes of crude oil or oil products are increasingly transported by ship, which poses a significant risk. An increasing amount of litter in the sea is directly harming marine organisms when they eat pieces of rubbish, or become tangled in it. This can also affect human health when plastics ingested by marine organisms enter the food chain.

In 2002 the European Union recommended Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) to bring together different stakeholders and decision-makers for a more long-term view. Although ICZM principles are increasingly being adopted in the management of coastal areas, progress has not been uniform. Ten years after the recommendation, the European Commission estimated that implementation of ICZM was only about 50 % across the EU as a whole.

Better management of Europe's coastline

If coastal regions are to continue to power European economies, provide ecosystems services, and remain home to millions of people, they must be managed more cohesively, the report says. This management must also be based on integrated policy, aiming to balance competing interests of human development, while ensuring healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems that much of this development relies on.

The European Commission has recently proposed a framework for integrated coastal management and for 'maritime spatial planning', to better manage competing claims and resources at sea. Within this framework, plans and strategies will require high quality data to measure the health of the coastal environment.

Improving the knowledge base

The lack of quality‑assured spatial data hinders effective management, so EU Member States need to make more effort to harmonise their data and make it consistent with the data reported by other countries, the report says. When coastal data is shared across borders and enhanced by coordinated indicator sets, it can give a larger and more refined picture of the wider ecosystem issues, making it easier to implement an ecosystem‑based management approach.

]]>No publisherbiodiversityoceanscoastline urbanisationseaecosystemsspatial planningmarinecoastal ecosystems2013/11/28 12:55:00 GMT+2Press ReleaseMarine and coastal environment — key message 1https://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/europe/marine-and-coastal-environment/key-messages/marine-and-coastal-environment-2014
Degradation of marine and coastal ecosystems is observed in the Black, Mediterranean, Baltic, North East Atlantic Seas and in the Arctic. This trend is caused by fishing, agriculture, the industrial use of chemicals, tourist development, shipping, energy exploitation and other maritime activities. Projected climate change is likely to increase the impact of these activities in all seas, and in the Arctic.]]>No publishersoer2010climate changemarine ecosystemsmarine and coastalecosystemsmarinecoastal ecosystems2013/09/05 16:25:00 GMT+2SOER 2010 Message (Deprecated)EEA reference gridhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/eea-reference-grids-2
The grid is based on the recommendation at the 1st European Workshop on Reference Grids in 2003 and later INSPIRE geographical grid systems. For each country three vector polygon grid shape files, 1, 10 and 100 km, are available. The grids cover at least country borders - plus 15km buffer - and, where applicable, marine Exclusive Economic Zones v7.0 - plus 15km buffer - (www.vliz.be/vmdcdata/marbound).
Note that the extent of the grid into the marine area does not reflect the extent of the territorial waters.No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).biodiversitygeospatial dataeea owned data setsgridmarinevector data2013/05/24 10:35:00 GMT+2DataMarine LitterWatchhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/coast_sea/marine-litterwatch
Litter, plastics in particular, is accumulating in our seas and coasts. Information and data on marine litter is essential for tackling it. The European Environment Agency has developed Marine LitterWatch mobile app to strengthen Europe’s knowledge base and thus provide support to European policy making.No publishermarine littermarine2013/05/21 09:00:00 GMT+2FolderAir legislation in Europehttps://www.eea.europa.eu/signals/signals-2013/articles/air-legislation-in-europe
Air pollution is not the same everywhere. Different pollutants are released into
the atmosphere from a wide range of sources. Once in the atmosphere, they
can transform into new pollutants and spread around the world. Designing and
implementing policies to address this complexity are not easy tasks. Below is an
overview of air legislation in the European Union.The amount of pollutants emitted into the air we breathe has been greatly reduced since the EU introduced policies and measures concerning air quality in the 1970s. Air pollution emissions from many of the major sources including transport, industry, and power generation are now regulated and are generally declining, albeit not always to the extent envisaged.

Targeting pollutants

One way that the EU has achieved this improvement is by setting legally binding and non-binding limits for the whole Union for certain pollutants dispersed in the air. The EU has set standards for particulate matter (PM) of certain sizes, ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, lead, and other pollutants that may have a detrimental effect on human health or ecosystems. Key pieces of legislation that set pollutant limits across Europe include the 2008 Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (2008/50/EC), and the 1996 Framework Directive on ambient air quality assessment and management (96/62/EC).

Another approach to legislating for improvements to air quality is through the setting of national annual emission limits for specific pollutants. In these cases, countries are responsible for introducing the measures needed to ensure that their emission levels are below the ceiling set for the relevant pollutant.

The Gothenburg Protocol to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP), and the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive (2001/81/EC) both set annual emissions limits for European countries on air pollutants, including those pollutants responsible for acidification, eutrophication, and ground-level ozone pollution. The Gothenburg Protocol was revised in 2012. And the National Emissions Ceilings Directive is up for review and revision in 2013.

Targeting sectors

In addition to setting air quality standards for specific pollutants and annual country-level ceilings, European legislation is also designed to target particular sectors that act as sources of air pollution.

Emissions of air pollutants from the industrial sector are regulated, by among others, the 2010 Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU) and the 2001 Directive on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from Large Combustion Plants (2001/80/EC).

Vehicle emissions have been regulated through a series of performance and fuel standards, including the 1998 Directive relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels (98/70/EC) and vehicle emission standards, known as the Euro standards.

The Euro 5 and 6 standards cover emissions from light vehicles including passenger cars, vans, and commercial vehicles. The Euro 5 standard came into force on 1 January 2011, and requires all new cars covered by the legislation to emit less particulates and nitrogen oxides than the limits set. Euro 6, which will enter into force in 2015, will impose stricter limits on nitrogen oxides emitted by diesel engines.

There are also international agreements concerning the emissions of air pollutants in other areas of transportation, such as the International Maritime Organization’s 1973 Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), with its additional protocols, which regulate sulphur dioxide emissions from shipping.

(c) Javier Arcenillas, ImaginAIR/EEA

"Although fortunately there are still places in Romania almost wild and spectacular, where nature is unstained by the hand of man, in more urbanized areas there is an obvious ecological problem."Javier Arcenillas, Spain

Putting the pieces together

A pollutant is usually regulated by more than one piece of legislation. Particulate matter, for example, is directly addressed by three European legal measures (Directives on ambient air quality and emissions of air pollutants, and the Euro limits on road vehicle emissions) and two international conventions (LRTAP and MARPOL). Some of the PM precursors are tackled by other legal measures.

The implementation of these laws are also spread over a period of time and achieved in stages. For fine particles, the air quality directive sets 25 μg/m3 as a ‘target value’ to be met by 1 January 2010. The same threshold is set to become a ‘limit value’ by 2015, entailing additional obligations.

For some sectors, air policies might first cover certain pollutants in limited parts of Europe. In September 2012, the European Parliament adopted the revisions that brought the EU’s standards on sulphur emissions by ships in line with the International Maritime Organization’s standards from 2008. By 2020, the sulphur limit will be 0.5 % in all the seas around the EU.

For the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the English Channel in so-called ‘Sulphur Emission Control Areas’, the European Parliament set an even stricter sulphur limit of 0.1 % by 2015. Considering that standard marine fuel contains 2 700 times more sulphur than conventional diesel for cars, it is clear that this legislation gives strong reasons to the shipping sector to develop and use cleaner fuels.

Implementation on the ground

Current European air-quality legislation is based on the principle that EU Member States divide their territories into a number of management zones in which countries are required to assess air quality using measurement or modelling approaches. Most big cities are declared to be such zones. If air‑quality standards are exceeded in a zone, the Member State has to report to the European Commission and explain the reasons.

The countries are then required to develop local or regional plans describing how they intend to improve the air quality. They could for example establish so-called low-emission zones that restrict access for more polluting vehicles. Cities can also encourage a shift in transport to less polluting modes including walking, cycling, and public transport. They can also ensure that industrial and commercial combustion sources are fitted with emission‑control equipment, according to the latest, best-available technology.

Research is also critical. Not only does research offer us new technologies, it also improves our knowledge of air pollutants and their negative effects on our health and ecosystems. Integrating the latest knowledge into our laws and actions will help us to continue to improve Europe’s air.

(c) Gülçin Karadeniz

More information

]]>No publisherhelpeconomic sectorsnitrogenlong-range transboundary air pollutionuneceenvironmentecosystemssulphur dioxideacidificationpassenger carsstandardsbaltic seanational emissions ceilingspolicies and measureslogsenergyseaeutransportnitrogen oxidesozonecombustionleadpublic transportlrtappassengersdieselresearchparticulate matterhealthair quality directiveeuropeeuropanaturecarsnational emission ceilingscitiesmarineetrair pollution sourcesghg emission targetsindustryshippingpollutioncombibusescontaminationroadscombustion plantsfine particlesgishuman healthphpopmeutrophicationurbanetspetrolsulphurprotocolsplantsemission ceilingsground-level ozoneairunemissionspolicieseu legislationaciditygothenburg protocolindustrial emissions directivemaritime sectorstatesspatechnologyair qualitynational emission ceilings directivepollutantseconomyfuelsmodelswhotransport modesbaltic regiontunadirectiveair pollutionnorth seaagevehiclescover2013/04/15 00:04:12 GMT+2ArticleTrend in winter oxidized nitrogen concentrations in coastal and open waters of the Baltic, North East Atlantic (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas) and Mediterranean Sea (Adriatic Sea), 1985 - 2010https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/trends-in-nutrient-concentrations-in-transitional-coastal-and-marine-waters
The figure shows trend in winter oxidized nitrogen (nitrate + nitrite) concentrations in coastal and open waters of the Baltic, North East Atlantic (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas) and Mediterranean Sea (Adriatic Sea) (% of stations showing a statistically significant change within the period 1985-2010). Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of stations included in the analysis for each country. "Open sea" is the total of all off-shore stations (>20km) within a (sub)region.20km) within a (sub)region.]]>No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).marinenitrogenmarine and coastalthematic assessments2013/03/26 12:05:03 GMT+2FigureTrend in winter orthophosphate concentrations in coastal and open waters of the Baltic, North East Atlantic (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Bay of Biscay), and Mediterranean Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea), 1985 - 2010https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/change-in-winter-orthophosphate-concentrations-in-coastal-and-open-waters-of-the-north-east-atlantic-baltic-mediterranean-and-north-seas-for-stations-that-include-observations-made-in-2005-left-panel-and-those-that-do-not-right-panel-2
The figure shows trend in winter orthophosphate concentrations in coastal and open waters of the Baltic, North East Atlantic (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Bay of Biscay), and Mediterranean Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea) (% of stations showing a statistically significant change within the period 1985-2010). Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of stations included in the analysis for each country. "Open sea" is the total of all off-shore stations (>20km) within a (sub)region.
20km) within a (sub)region.
]]>No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).marinemarine and coastalthematic assessmentsphosphates2013/03/26 12:05:09 GMT+2FigureConservation status of species of European Union interest in marine ecosystemshttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/conservation-status-of-species-of-15
Statistics by region on the left, overall statistics on the right.No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).biodiversitymarine ecosystemsecosystemsmarinebaseline2012/07/19 17:36:57 GMT+2FigureConservation status of habitat types of European Union interest in marine ecosystemshttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/conservation-status-of-habitat-types-6
Statistics by region on the left, overall statistics on the right.No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).biodiversitymarine ecosystemsecosystemsmarinebaseline2012/07/19 17:35:16 GMT+2FigureEnvironmental indicator report 2012https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/environmental-indicator-report-2012
Reliable, relevant, targeted and
timely environmental information is
an essential element in implementing
environmental policy and management
processes. Such information can come
in many formats — with indicators
being a long-established approach
to distilling detailed information into
trends that are robust and easily
understandable by a broad audience.No publisherecosystem resilienceair qualitymaterial resourceswaste managementclimate changeair pollutionwater usemaritime sectorresource efficiencynitrogenindicatorsgreen economycarbon emissionsmarinethreats to biodiversity2012/05/16 13:00:00 GMT+2PublicationCommission Decision 2455/2001/EC https://www.eea.europa.eu/policy-documents/commission-decision-2455-2001-ec
2455/2001/EC. Decision No 2455/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2001 establishing the list of priority substances in the field of water policy and amending Directive 2000/60/EC [cf. Annex 10 of Water Framework Directive]. No publishermarinehazardous substances2012/03/29 12:31:13 GMT+2Policy DocumentCommission Regulation 221/2002/EC of 6 February 2002https://www.eea.europa.eu/policy-documents/commission-regulation-221-2002-of
221/2002/EC. Commission Regulation (EC) NO. 221/2002 of 6 February 2002 amending Regulation (EC) No. 466/2001 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs. 3 pp. No publishermarinehazardous substances2012/03/29 12:24:34 GMT+2Policy DocumentState of commercial fish stocks in North East Atlantic and Baltic Seahttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/state-of-commercial-fish-stocks-in-n-e-atlantic-and-baltic-sea-in
The figure shows the state of commercial fish stocks in North East Atlantic and Baltic Sea. Status of fish stocks was assessed in 2009 in the ICES regions , although data refers to 2008.
Elasmobranchs not included as they constitute only about 3% of the total catch in the NE Atlantic and consist of many species and stocks which would mask the general trend. No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).marinecsifisheries2011/09/12 09:55:00 GMT+2FigureHazardous substances in Europe's fresh and marine waters — An overviewhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/hazardous-substances-in-europes-fresh
Chemicals are an essential part of our daily lives and are used to produce consumer goods, to protect or restore our health and to boost food production, to name but a few examples. Some chemicals, however, are hazardous, raising concerns for the environment and human health. Hazardous substances are emitted to fresh and marine waters via a number of pathways and can have detrimental effects on aquatic biota. Humans can be exposed to hazardous substances in water through the ingestion of contaminated drinking water and the consumption of contaminated freshwater fish and seafood. A wide range of legislation now exists in Europe to address the release of hazardous substances to the environment, including water. New challenges exist, however, including the issues of chemical mixtures and emerging pollutants.No publisherwaterminingcontaminated landmarineaquatic ecosystemshazardous substanceslandfilldrinking waterchemicalswater framework directivehealthmarine strategy framework directiveurban environmentwater qualitye-prtrpesticidesorganic substancesfreshwateragriculturetransport2011/07/15 11:20:00 GMT+2PublicationMarine aquaculture production relative to coastline lengthhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/fig.-5-marine-aquaculture-production
The map show the marine aquaculture production relative to coastline lengthNo publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).csimarinefisheries2011/02/02 14:16:46 GMT+2FigureChange in winter oxidized nitrogen concentrations in coastal and open waters of the North East Atlantic, Baltic, Mediterranean and North Seashttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/trends-in-nutrient-concentrations-in-transitional-coastal-and-marine-waters-1985
The figure shows change in winter oxidized nitrogen concentrations in coastal and open waters of the North East Atlantic, Baltic, Mediterranean and North Seas, 1985–2008No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).soer2010csimarine and coastalnitrogenmarinethematic assessments2010/12/06 15:16:29 GMT+2FigureMarine and coastal environment - key fact 3https://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/europe/marine-and-coastal-environment/key-facts/marine-and-coastal-environment-fact-3
Where marine species and habitat types have been assessed, the majority are found to be in unfavourable or unknown condition; only 10 % of habitats and 2 % of species are found in good condition. .
]]>No publishermarine2010/11/28 19:40:00 GMT+2SOER 2010 Key fact (Deprecated)Marine and coastal environment — key message 7https://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/europe/marine-and-coastal-environment/key-messages/marine-and-coastal-environment-2014-6
Growth of the maritime, agriculture and tourism sectors is expected to continue. An important future objective for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive will be to ensure that this growth is sustainable to achieve and then maintain ‘Good Environmental Status’ of the marine environment. Moreover, it will be necessary to implement planning principles in line with the approaches of Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Maritime Spatial Planning..
]]>No publisherSOER2010marineagriculturemarine and coastaltourismmaritime sector2010/11/28 19:40:00 GMT+2SOER 2010 Message (Deprecated)Marine and coastal environment — key message 2https://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/europe/marine-and-coastal-environment/key-messages/marine-and-coastal-environment-2014-1
Nutrient enrichment is a major problem in the coastal and marine environment, where it accelerates the growth of phytoplankton and can lead to oxygen depletion. Concentrations of some heavy metals and persistent organic contaminants in marine biota exceed food stuff limits in all Europe’s seas. .
]]>No publisherenvironmentSOER2010nutrient enrichmentmarinemarine and coastal2010/11/28 19:40:00 GMT+2SOER 2010 Message (Deprecated)Conservation status of marine habitat types and species of Community interest in EU-25https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/conservation-status-of-marine-habitat-1
-No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).biodiversityecosystemsmarinehabitatshabitats directive2010/11/08 14:11:35 GMT+2FigureMarine Trophic Index for selected European seas (A)https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/marine-trophic-index-for-selected-european-seas-a
How to read the graph: in the Baltic Sea, MTI has been decreasing since 1950.No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).biodiversitymarine2010/09/02 17:17:42 GMT+2FigureMarine Trophic Index for selected European seas (B)https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/marine-trophic-index-for-selected-european-seas-b
How to read the graph: in the Mediterranean Sea, MTI has been stable since 1950.No publisherAccess is managed by the owner mentioned below. Please contact the owner for more information about their data policy.biodiversitymarine2010/09/02 17:17:44 GMT+2FigureCOM (2002) 539 finalhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/policy-documents/com-2002-539-final
Communication from the Commission to the Council and theEuropean Parliament:Towards a strategy to protect and conserve the marine environment.COM (2002) 539 final No publishermarine2010/07/05 14:50:00 GMT+2Policy Document2003 Strategies of the OSPAR Commissionhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/policy-documents/2003-strategies-of-the-ospar-commission
2003 Strategies of the OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic. II - Eutrophication. No publishermarine2010/07/05 14:50:00 GMT+2Policy Document10 messages for 2010 — marine ecosystemshttps://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/10-messages-for-2010-2014-2
Marine ecosystems provide key services both globally and locally, which are essential for maintaining life on our planet. However, marine biodiversity faces an unprecedented range of pressures. In recent years climate change has caused changes in species distribution and presents new challenges for marine biodiversity as oceans become more acidic.No publisher10 messages for 2010ecosystem servicesbiodiversityEU marine strategy framework directivemarine ecosystemsmarine and coastalmarineNatura 20002010/05/26 17:53:06 GMT+2PublicationEEA Signals 2010 - Biodiversity, climate change and youhttps://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/signals-2010
Signals takes us on a journey, following the course of water from the glaciers of the Alps to the permafrost of the Arctic and the delta of the Ganges. We travel to familiar and far-flung places, looking at how we can rebuild our relationships with the crucial elements of everyday life— water, soil, air — and the animals and plants that make up the tapestry of life on Earth.No publisheralpsurbanbiodiversitymarineclimate changearctic regionsignals2010beesurban beekeepingsoilfarmingrefugees2010/03/22 11:25:00 GMT+2Publication